1. Field
A linear compressor is disclosed herein.
2. Background
Cooling systems are systems in which a refrigerant circulates to generate cool air. In such a cooling system, processes of compressing, condensing, expanding, and evaporating the refrigerant are repeatedly performed. The cooling system includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator. Also, the cooling system may be installed or provided in a home appliance including a refrigerator or an air conditioner.
In general, compressors are machines that receive power from a power generation device, such as an electric motor or a turbine, to compress air, a refrigerant, or various gaseous working fluids, thereby increasing a pressure and a temperature. The compressors are being widely used in home appliances or industrial fields.
Such a compressor is largely classified into a reciprocating compressor, a scroll compressor, and a rotary compressor. In recent years, development of a linear compressor belonging to one kind of reciprocating compressor has been actively carried out. The linear compressor may be directly connected to a drive motor, in which a piston is linearly reciprocated, to improve compression efficiency without mechanical loss due to movement conversion and have a simple structure.
In general, the linear compressor suctions a gaseous refrigerant while a piston is moved to linearly reciprocate within a cylinder by a linear motor and then compresses the suctioned refrigerant at a high-temperature and a high-pressure to discharge the compressed refrigerant. A linear compressor and a refrigerator including the same are disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2016-0009306, published on Jan. 26, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The linear compressor includes a suction part, a discharge part, a compressor casing, a compressor body, and a body support. The body support is configured to support the compressor body within the compressor casing and disposed on each of both ends of the compressor body.
The body support includes a plate spring. The plate spring is mounted in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the compressor body. In this case, the plate spring may have high transverse rigidity (rigidity with respect to a direction that extends perpendicular to the axial direction of the compressor body) and low longitudinal rigidity (rigidity with respect to the axial direction of the compressor body).
However, according to the related art document, a lateral stiffness of the plate spring may prevent the motor assembly from colliding with the compressor casing during operation of the compressor, but there may occur a problem that the motor assembly collides with the compressor casing in the process of transferring the compressor or a product equipped with the compressor.
That is, vibration generated during transfer of the compressor is significantly greater than vibration generated during operation of the compressor. Thus, in the process of transferring the compressor, it is highly likely that at least a portion of the motor assembly, the frame contacting the motor assembly, and the stator cover will collide with the compressor casing. As such, when the motor assembly, the frame, or the stator cover collides with the compressor casing, an impact is transferred to the motor assembly, causing damage to the motor assembly.
Also, the compressor body may be spaced apart from each cover when the compressor is in a stopped state, but the compressor body may collide with a cover of any one side due to axial shaking of the compressor body in the process of transferring the compressor. When an impulse of the compressor body and the cover is great, the plate spring may be deformed.
The impulse of the compressor body and the cover increases as an axial movement amount (or a moving distance) of the compressor body increases. In the case of the related art document, as there is no structure for reducing an axial moving distance of the compressor body, it is highly likely that the plate spring will be deformed in the process of transferring the compressor.